Meopham
| Meopham | |
|---|---|
 Meopham Green |
|
 Meopham
|
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| Meopham shown within Kent | |
| Population | 6,722 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TQ645655 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Gravesend |
| Postcode district | DA13 |
| Dialling code | 01474 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Meopham /ˈmɛpəm/ is a large linear village and civil parish in the Borough of Gravesham and ceremonial county of Kent, in England, and lies to the south of Gravesend. The parish covers 6.5 square miles (17 km2), and comprises two villages and two smaller settlements; it has a population of 6,427, increasing slightly to 6,722 at the 2011 census. Meopham is the longest village in Europe, being 7 miles (11 km) in length.
The name of the village derives from Meapaham (Meapa's village): it is first recorded in 788, in the reign of King Offa. The modern pronunciation of the name comes from different ways of writing and spelling.
Benedictine monks established a priory hospital at Meopham in the 12th century and throughout the Middle Ages three medieval manor houses - those of Meopham, Dodmore and Nurstead - governed the land now encompassing the parish.Edward Hasted in 1797 described the village as being "out of the way" and with "no well frequented thoroughfare through it". Since the 1920s, when the road numbering scheme started, the main road through the village, the A227, has become busier as a through-route connecting North Kent with the M20 motorway at the foot of the North Downs, although this now has been somewhat relieved by the M25.
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